Injuries sustained by a suspect in a Saanich forklift heist don’t meet the threshold of “serious harm” according to a provincial police watchdog organization.
The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC investigated after a man sustained a leg injury and dog bites when he was arrested by members of Saanich police on July 18, 2024.
The chief civilian director reviewed evidence – including medical records, photographic evidence and police reports – and determined the man’s injuries do not meet the threshold of serious harm under the Police Act, the IIO said in a March 5 news release.
Saanich Police Department was called around 1:30 that morning about a man trying to break into a business in the Royal Oak Shopping Centre.
Officer arrived to find multiple e-bikes had been stolen using an industrial forklift – taken from a nearby construction site.
Officers then located a man hiding near some bushes and arrested him with the assistance of a police service dog. The suspect was taken to the hospital for treatment.
